Flint Mayor Don Williamson does something curiously ... right

• People are still asking me why The Don dumped his pal Darryl Buchanan as city administrator and replaced him with a guy he hardly knows, Michael Brown, former president of the local United Way.

My answer: I dunno. This one puzzles me, and I have a Ph.D in deciphering The Don.

A leading theory is that, with the recall looming, he's trying to signal voters who are still on the fence about him that he's done naming cronies to key positions.

It's true that Brown is respected, qualified and unindicted (always a plus), unlike some of the mayor's past picks. But I doubt enough undecided voters know or care who the city administrator is to make a discernible difference at the polls, especially at this late hour.

So if that's not why he did it, what is? Got me. All I know is the mayor remains a riddle, wrapped in a puzzle, wrapped in an enigma, wrapped in baloney, wearing a goofy hard-hat.

• Of course no one would have to wonder if the mayor would, you know, just explain his reasons. But then who ever said the people have the right to know how and why their government is being run?

• Wait. A strange thought just occurred. Is it possible there's no ulterior motive here at all and that the mayor picked Brown because he's the best man for the job? If so, whoa, that's so ... unexpected.

• One question, though: Does a city deep in debt really need to be adding a $95,000 salary?

• In the wake of 93-year-old Martin Schur freezing to death in his Bay City home last week, public utilities in Michigan have new rules to protect senior citizens, the disabled, the poor and the unemployed from winter shutoffs. The problem, of course, is Bay City Electric Light & Power is not a public utility. State law needs to change to include municipal utilities as well. It should also prevent cut-offs to anyone during the winter months.

• President Obama Wednesday capped the pay of CEOs of companies getting bailout money at $500,000. The CEOs are mad about it, too. Some of them are threatening to lay off their butler's gardener's dog-walker's masseuse.

• Blog Comment of the Week honors go to lesanne for this view of the salary cap: "I love the threat that the 'good people' will leave the firms to make better money elsewhere. Just where do they think they will go? Most banking firms are in the same predicament, and I can just see (CEOs) being in great demand with their resumes and experience: 'I ran my last company into the ground and needed to have the government bail us out. Pay me millions, wouldja?'"

• Hey, lesanne, don't laugh, they'll find work. The rich and powerful take care of their own. Bad behavior that would stain the rest of us for life rolls off them like water.

• Need Has a Face. This week it looks like Maria, whose job pays just enough for her to get by. Her gas range broke down months ago, and she's been cooking with an electric fry pan since. She needs a working stove. To help, call Catherine Baker at Flint Schools Early Headstart, (810) 287-1402. Information for these reports provided by Resource Genesee, (810) 232-6300.

• "Our anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, but only empties today of its strength" -- Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892), preacher.